Yup, you’re right. I love my Crock Pot. I don’t know about you but from about 4:30-5:30 PM my kids are tired/hungry/grumpy/etc., so trying to make an entire meal during that time has proven to be a bit difficult at times. This next recipe is a good one that I am still trying to master.

Ingredients

4-6 Pieces of boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 bottle of Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ sauce (or your favorite brand)

1/4 Cup of Vinegar

1 Tsp. Red Pepper Flakes

1/4 Cup of Brown Sugar

1/2 – 1 Tsp. of Garlic Powder

Directions

Mix all the ingredients together. Place chicken in Crock Pot and pour sauce over it. Cook on LOW for 4-5 HOURS. Do not over cook. Check the chicken after 4 hours, it should be done.

Hurricane Sandy has affected millions along the East Coast including our friends, family and strangers. My heart is heavy for all of those that are affected. Being 200+ miles away, as we go about our daily routines, it’s easy to forgot that there are still so many families suffering from the damage Sandy has caused.

I asked you to join me in collecting CLEANING SUPPLIES including paper towels and TRASH BAGS for those in need. We will be making 2 trips to New York City this week and it is my goal to fill the car both trips with the donated goods. I don’t have the means to donate thousands and thousands of dollars but I do have the power to make a small difference that could brighten someone’s day when the city is full of darkness.

For more information, please email me at kearstinharrington@gmail.com.

Making Halloween costumes is one of my favorite traditions I look forward to every year. I have to admit I always wait until the last minute (I was making our masks 20 minutes before we left the house this year) but I really do enjoy it. Anyone can make a family of Incredibles in a few easy steps. Check out how below!

Trace the decal onto your black felt and cut out shape. Next cut out the orange sides, trace on to orange felt and cut out. Lastly, cut out the yellow “i” and trace onto yellow felt and cut out. Place all pieces together and attach with hot glue. If you were very ambitious, you could sew them on.

Take your red t-shirts and attach the decal with either hot glue or again you can sew it on. Our t-shirts, which I purchased at Michael’s for $2.00 each, were a little big so I sewed them to be extra tight. We all wore black turtle necks underneath our shirts.

For the bottoms:

I purchased everyone red leggings. Let’s be real, who has red leggings in the closet? Not us. I bought the kids ones at H&M and the adult ones in some random store in our mall. We all wore black leggings underneath our red ones to create the right look. Believe it or not, we do all own black leggings! I wore tall black boots and the boys wore black socks and black shoes.

For the underwear, Adam and I wore bathing suit bottoms and Jayden wore an old pair of leggings that I cut the same size as a pair of his underwear. He felt more comfortable when I told him they were leggings cut up instead of underwear.

For the belt I had purchased enough orange felt to sew on to our underwear but time was tight so I decide to buy yellow duct tape (they were all out of orange duct tape at A.C. Moore). I measured our waists and cut two pieces of duct tape to length. Then I stuck the two pieces together and attached with another piece of duct tape in the back. I was a little skeptical how it would look but it took a fraction of the time and looked just fine.

For the masks:

I used a template I found online to make our masks. I traced the template onto black foam sheets and then again on black felt. I made two small holes and threaded enough elastic through to fit everyone. Then I hot glued the black felt on top of the foam to hid the elastic and to create a thicker look.

I think that covers it! I told you it was easy. If you have any questions, please ask! I am really not that crafty but I can follow directions very well!

I searched online for The Incredibles costumes. They were plenty online that ranged from $15-$40. The problem is Jayden and Adam are tall and thin, therefore they wouldn’t have fit properly. So it was off to the mall and craft store to see what I could put together. About $32.00 later we had 1 Mr Incredibles, 1 Elastigirl, 1 Dash and 1 Jack-Jack.

I wanted to stay under $25.00 for all 4 costumes but I couldn’t find any leggings cheap enough. I am happy with the way the costumes turned out and we all had so much fun playing the role of a superhero!

No one likes you for your clothes, your car, your possessions, your title, or your accomplishments. Those are all “things.” People may like your things–but that doesn’t mean they like you.

Sure, superficially they might seem to, but superficial is also insubstantial, and a relationship that is not based on substance is not a real relationship.

Genuine relationships make you happier, and you’ll only form genuine relationships when you stop trying to impress and start trying to just be yourself.

3. Clinging.

When you’re afraid or insecure, you hold on tightly to what you know, even if what you know isn’t particularly good for you.

An absence of fear or insecurity isn’t happiness: It’s just an absence of fear or insecurity.

Holding on to what you think you need won’t make you happier; letting go so you can reach for and try to earn what you want will.

Even if you don’t succeed in earning what you want, the act of trying alone will make you feel better about yourself.

4. Interrupting.

Interrupting isn’t just rude. When you interrupt someone, what you’re really saying is, “I’m not listening to you so I can understand what you’re saying; I’m listening to you so I can decide what I want to say.”

Want people to like you? Listen to what they say. Focus on what they say. Ask questions to make sure you understand what they say.

If something is wrong, don’t waste time complaining. Put that effort into making the situation better. Unless you want to whine about it forever, eventually you’ll have to do that. So why waste time? Fix it now.

Don’t talk about what’s wrong. Talk about how you’ll make things better, even if that conversation is only with yourself.

And do the same with your friends or colleagues. Don’t just be the shoulder they cry on.

Yeah, you’re the boss. Yeah, you’re the titan of industry. Yeah, you’re the small tail that wags a huge dog.

Still, the only thing you really control is you. If you find yourself trying hard to control other people, you’ve decided that you, your goals, your dreams, or even just your opinions are more important than theirs.

Plus, control is short term at best, because it often requires force, or fear, or authority, or some form of pressure–none of those let you feel good about yourself.

Find people who want to go where you’re going. They’ll work harder, have more fun, and create better business and personal relationships.

And all of you will be happier.

7. Criticizing.

Yeah, you’re more educated. Yeah, you’re more experienced. Yeah, you’ve been around more blocks and climbed more mountains and slayed more dragons.

That doesn’t make you smarter, or better, or more insightful.

That just makes you you: unique, matchless, one of a kind, but in the end, just you.

Just like everyone else–including your employees.

Everyone is different: not better, not worse, just different. Appreciate the differences instead of the shortcomings and you’ll see people–and yourself–in a better light.

8. Preaching.

Criticizing has a brother. His name is Preaching. They share the same father: Judging.

The higher you rise and the more you accomplish, the more likely you are to think you know everything–and to tell people everything you think you know.

When you speak with more finality than foundation, people may hear you but they don’t listen. Few things are sadder and leave you feeling less happy.

9. Dwelling.

The past is valuable. Learn from your mistakes. Learn from the mistakes of others.

Then let it go.

Easier said than done? It depends on your focus. When something bad happens to you, see that as a chance to learn something you didn’t know. When another person makes a mistake, see that as an opportunity to be kind, forgiving, and understanding.

The past is just training; it doesn’t define you. Think about what went wrong, but only in terms of how you will make sure that, next time, you and the people around you will know how to make sure it goes right.

10. Fearing.

We’re all afraid: of what might or might not happen, of what we can’t change, or what we won’t be able to do, or how other people might perceive us.

So it’s easier to hesitate, to wait for the right moment, to decide we need to think a little longer or do some more research or explore a few more alternatives.

If you want to start a business, take the first step. If you want to change careers, take the first step. If you want to expand or enter a new market or offer new products or services, take the first step.

Put your fears aside and get started. Do something. Do anything.

Otherwise, today is gone. Once tomorrow comes, today is lost forever.

Today is the most precious asset you own–and is the one thing you should truly fear wasting.

Who has enough time to prepare a hearty meal 5 nights a week? Some weeks I do and some I don’t. When I know we have a busy week I whip out the good ol’ trusty crock pot. I came across this oh-so-delicious taco recipe on Pinterest a few weeks ago and been in love ever since. I didn’t think making tacos could get any easier until I found this.

Spray the crock pot with cooking spray, place chicken on the bottom, cover with taco seasoning and salsa. Give everything a light stir and set the timer on HIGH for 4-6 hours or LOW for 6-8 hours. Boom! When done, the chicken will easily shred with a fork.

We are so excited to announce our next JEHH fundraising event! On Saturday, May 12th,2012 we will be hosting our 2nd Annual JEHH 5K Kringle Candle Chase in Bernardston, MA. Once again our Run/Walk race will begin at Pratt Field at 9:00 AM and go 3.1 miles (5K) through the town of Bernardston to the finish line at Pratt Field. At the conclusion of the race, we will be hosting a Post Race Party at Pratt Field where there will be food, games and activities for all to enjoy.

JEHH has partnered with Kringle Candle Company as our main sponsor for the event. We are extremely excited to be working with Kringle Candle Company again to bring an exciting race to the town of Bernardston and giving back to the children of our communities. Our race will raise money for the Jill E. Harrington Hanzalik Memorial Fund. In addition, a portion of the money raised during this event will be used to assist in the renovation of the Bernardston Elementary School basketball and tennis courts. This renovation project as been scheduled to begin construction June 25th, 2012 and conclude July 1st with a Grand Opening party for the community. We hope this will create a better atmosphere for children, adults and families to come and enjoy the outdoor courts in town.

Registration is live! via online and by mail. You can visit our Events tab and click on 5K Kringle Candle Chase for the downloadable forms or click on the link above for online registration.

Important Information

Day of race registration and sign-in begins at 7:30 AM. Ends promptly at 8:30 AM.

March to Kringle Candle 8:45 AM.

Run/Walk will take off at 9:00 AM.

Race Fee: $25 / 12 & Under: $15 / Day of Race: $35

The 1st 500 participants who register before May 4th will receive a FREE Kringle Candle Chase T-Shirt.

Having a child is a reality check. For some it’s a good reality check and for others it’s an “I need to get my life together” reality check. For me, it’s been an “I have amazing friends and family” reality check.

I am thankful for friends who take your oldest child just to give you a break.

I am thankful for friends who bring you dinner.

I am thankful for friends who come over with size 3 months clothes because there is no way your child is fitting into newborn.

I am thankful for friends who bring you a donut without warning because eating breakfast is not on the top of the priority list.

I am thankful for friends who come over even though you have a screaming infant just to have an adult conversation.

I am thankful for friends who make Jayden feel so special being the big brother.

I am thankful for friends who leave Thin Mint Girl Scout Cookies on your back steps.

I am thankful for friends who send you emails just letting you know they’re thinking about you and that it does get easier!

I am thankful for friends who send you text messages letting you know they’re praying for you!

I am thankful for friends who come over with their random baby supplies, just because.

I am thankful I can call friends just to talk, even if it’s about poop and spit-up.

I am thankful for all the friends and family who have continued to amaze us with their generosity, love and support.

And most importantly I am thankful that God continues to surround us with the most amazing people!